Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day: Celebs Weigh In

Mike Huckabee has called for fans of "free speech" to celebrate today, August 1, as Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day. As the Fox News pundit, Southern Baptist minister, and politician said on his website and Facebook page:

"Let's affirm a business that operates on Christian principles and whose executives are willing to take a stand for the Godly values we espouse by simply showing up and eating at Chick Fil-A on Wednesday, August 1. Too often, those on the left make corporate statements to show support for same sex marriage, abortion, or profanity, but if Christians affirm traditional values, we're considered homophobic, fundamentalists, hate-mongers, and intolerant. This effort is not being launched by the Chick Fil-A company and no one from the company or family is involved in proposing or promoting it."

No doubt which side he's on. In protest, an "eat at KFC day" is being planned for today, with a virtual "I don't appreciate Chick-fil-A day" being formed on Facebook (just join if you plan on never eating at the chicken sandwich chain again). Not doing anything this Friday? Take your (same sex) date over to the restaurant and show a public display of affection for "National same-sex kiss day."

To mark these occasions, we've come up with a list of celebrities and other notables who have "come out" on this issue.

For Chick-fil-A

Mike Huckabee loves both chicken sandwiches and traditional family values so much, he's the "brains" behind Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day. By the way, the former Arkansas governor and marathon runner also doesn't really believe in evolution, so don't tell him those chickens he's eating are really tiny dinosaurs, because he may just choke on his chicken.

Facebook

Sarah Palin is always one to "chirp" in to a controversial issue. Last week, she and husband Todd ate at a Texas Chick-fil-A, where she posted a pic on her Facebook page with the caption, "to support a great business." By the way, there are about 24,000 comments by God-fearing people, many of them hateful.

Best-selling author Dave Ramsey tweeted "I LOVE Chick-Fila food & @DanCathy is a personal friend. I will be buying a biscuit on Aug. 1 to tell them I love them. Join me."

Facebook

Rick Santorum might not have agreed with Huckabee in politics, but it's nice to know he supports him on his fast-food stance. On Facebook, Santorum asked his supporters to "help us fight to for traditional families and eat chicken at the same time."

Billy Graham

Ninety-three-year-old evangelist Billy Graham will be dining on Chick-fil-A at home today. Also, the 450 employees of his association will receive gift cards to the restaurant, according to the Charlotte Observer.

Against Chick-fil-A

Facebook

The Muppets made this statement on their Facebook page last week: "The Jim Henson Company has celebrated and embraced diversity and

inclusiveness for over fifty years and we have notified Chick-Fil-A that

we do not wish to partner with them on any future endeavors. Lisa

Henson, our CEO is personally a strong supporter of gay marriage and has

directed us to donate the payment we received from Chick-Fil-A to

GLAAD." Any frog who sings The Rainbow Connection is tops in our book.

Roseanneworld

Roseanne Barr can't walk away from a fight (or the chance to curse on social media). On her Twitter feed she said, ""anyone who eats S*** Fil-A deserves to get the cancer that is sure to

come from eating antibiotic filled tortured chickens 4Christ," she

tweeted earlier, later adding, "off to grab a s*** fil-A sandwich on my

way to worshipping Christ, supporting Aipac and war in Iran."

Facebook

Ed Helms from The Office wasn't so vulgar when he tweeted, "Chick-Fil-A doesn't like gay people? So lame. Hate to think what they do to the gay chickens! Lost a loyal fan."

Glee

Grant Gustin from Glee tweeted, "Your food is not good enough to take from a bunch of a**holes."

SUCCESS!

Laine Doss is the food and spirits editor for Miami New Times, covering the restaurant and bar scene in South Florida. She has been featured on Cooking Channel’s Eat Street and Food Network’s Great Food Truck Race. Doss won an Alternative Weekly award for her feature on what it’s like to wait tables. In a previous life, she appeared off-Broadway and shook many a cocktail as a bartender at venues in South Florida and New York City. When she’s not writing, you can find Doss running some marathon then celebrating at the nearest watering hole.